JOBS could be lost in Malvern as the group in charge of Malvern Hills College says it is "no longer in a position" to sell it.

A spokesman for WCG confirmed 23 full and part-time jobs are likely to be lost after negotiations between it and the Malvern Hills Art and Community College Ltd organisation broke down.

As a result, it was unable to reach an agreement to sell the college, which it announced last year was "no longer financially viable".

The spokesman said: "As people are aware, we have been working over several months to reach an agreement on a successful sale of our Malvern Hills College site to Malvern Hills Art and Community College Ltd (MHACC).

"However, MHACC has now written to WCG to clarify that it is no longer in a position to move forward with a purchase or lease of the site.

"That means, sadly, that we will have to recommence consultations with staff around the loss of 23 posts, both full and part time.

"We stated last year that the College will not re-open under WCG’s management for the 2021-22 academic year and we will now have to widen our search for a buyer, while at the same time hoping that other organisations can host some of the adult art leisure learning courses that were offered at Malvern Hills College.

"We are more than happy to work with them to ensure that happens."

In response an MHACC statement read: "A revised structure for the transaction has been agreed where The Bransford Trust (BT) would look to purchase the building with a lease to Malvern Hills Arts & Community College (MHACC).

"The intention is that The Bransford Trust CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) will take over MHACC’s offer to purchase the site and assets and negotiate to finalise the purchase by the end of this year."

The saga over the college's future has been a long-running issue, with community groups calling for it to be protected.

We previously reported how a bidder had put forward a £1.2million bid to buy the college.

The latest development means the college's future is now even less certain, with its permanent closure now looking increasingly more likely.